


The Arc of Conflict, Edda 14f: moves and countermoves

by bzarcher, solarbird



Series: Of Gods and Monsters [86]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alliances, F/F, Gen, Gods, Lesbian Character, Oasis (Overwatch), Other, Plans, Political Alliances, Politics, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Post-Talon, Russia, Subterfuge, Talon Angela "Mercy" Ziegler, Talon Fareeha "Pharah" Amari, Trans Sombra | Olivia Colomar, United Nations, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 00:05:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18981115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bzarcher/pseuds/bzarcher, https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarbird/pseuds/solarbird
Summary: Alliances, it has been said, are at their weakest on the brink of defeat, and on the brink of victory. After defeating the China Sea omnium, the gods of Oasis offered their help to Russia, to defeat their own Siberian threat, and Russia accepted that offer -  but made additional secret plans of their own.Politics is the continuation of war by other means.Motions in the United Nations. Peace Overtures. Negotiations.The weapons of diplomats are unleashed as Overwatch and the world attempt to keep the conflict between Oasis and Russia from spreading.Of Gods and Monsters: The Arc of Conflictis a continuance ofThe Arc of Ascension,The Arc of Creation, andThe Armourer and the Living Weapon. To follow the story as it appears,please subscribe to the series.





	The Arc of Conflict, Edda 14f: moves and countermoves

**Author's Note:**

> dirtyclaws has launched [a public fan-run _Of Gods and Monsters_ discord server](https://discord.gg/pDZMpVT) and invites everyone to come join it. ^_^

"I have done it," The Architech and CEO said, with a small, prim smile.

"You're _sure?_ " Sombra asked, her voice shaky, still in her hospital bed. Awake, again, against Dr. Ngcobo's orders. "The Russians can't pull anything?"

"I am," Satya replied. "As a permanent member of the Security Council, India has the right to demand a scheduled vote, and we have enough support in the General Assembly to call for an immediate cessation of hostilities there. That debate is happening now, with the vote tomorrow. The outcome is already certain. And so, the vote against Russia's actions will be held in three days, at 10am New York time."

"Good," Sombra breathed. "Good."

"We will not win at the council," Satya noted. "The motion will be vetoed, and the Russians will move to condemn us, in turn, and India will veto that. Parity."

"Remember, if they're gonna have a go," Sombra replied, "let them go first. If you can. Do your contacts have enough pull to make that happen? The Russians have to call their vote first."

"Yes, the series of probable motions has been recalculated several times. But I do not understand why it matters. The outcome will not change."

"No," Sombra agreed. "It won't. But the outcome of the outcome should. Your ambassador will understand. Trust me on this, princessa. He'll get it."

"You know that I do. Always. I..."

She looked off to her side, checking the clock. She should not leave her office now. Not even long enough for the teleporter. She knew this.

"Don't, hon. Stay in India. If we get the next few months right, we'll have all the time we need."

"I hate being away from you, now. More than I ever have. It is..."

She stood, and brushed smooth her dress, composing herself. _No,_ she thought. _It is not the time._

"...it is my duty, to remain here. But I want you to know that I do not _like_ it."

Sombra chuckled softly.

"Yeah," she said, managing a bit of a grin. "Me either, princessa. Me either."

\-----

"We're allowing the effort, Jack. We are... cooperating, behind the scenes."

Angela's bronze-eyed gaze still showed her anger. It wasn't in a narrowing of the eyelids, or a furrow of the brow, or even heightened voice. But it was there, nonetheless.

Morrison nodded his best diplomatic nod, listening. _Something changed. God, I just wish I knew what. But I can't push her._

"But Volskaya _has_ to respond in kind," she concluded, tone firm.

"I appreciate that, Angela. We're also aware that there haven't been any more disappearances from the Russian chain of command. We appreciate that, as well."

" _Despite_ their lack of confession, Jack. _Despite_ what we demanded, we are..."

"I think we have adequately demonstrated our position on this point," Fareeha interjected, reaching out of frame, taking Angela's hand, off camera. "We've certainly proven our aerial superiority."

_Did Fareeha order a halt to the assassinations? Was it her decision?_ Jack wondered. _She's an actual soldier - or used to be - so it'd make sense. Or perhaps was it just a need for home defense - even the gods can't be two places at once._ But he said none of that.

"Lena's - it was Lena, wasn't it? - Lena's demonstration was impressive."

"Good," the Huntress said. "Though we're surprised they haven't yet tried again, even so."

"Indeed. One can hardly predict the what will happen next - or what campaigns may be necessarily resumed," Moira said.

_Moves and countermoves_ , Morrison thought, nodding.

"But no one wants a larger war. Least of all, us." The Minister frowned. "The Russians merely have to decide to be reasonable."

"Are _you_ willing to be reasonable?" Morrison countered.

"We always have been," Angela interjected tartly. "It's _they_ who have been unwilling."

Moira nodded. "Honestly, I find the struggle for martial superiority to be so _tedious_. While..." - Morrison caught Moira's brief, fond glance to her left, off screen, he suspected towards Fareeha - "while I greatly admire the skill and willpower required, I would much rather be solving the world's problems using less violent methods. Ideas are the coin of my realm, not firepower."

"Will Oasis accept the UN's decision, if it makes one?"

"Of course," the Minister replied. "Assuming it is... reasonable."

Ten minutes later, both sides had said their formalities, and signed off.

"Ana - thoughts?"

"They'll accept whatever they already want to do, and nothing else."

_I'm not sure that's true_ , the Strike Commander thought, _but it's the safe bet._ He nodded, and moved on. "Hanzo?"

"Mei has not gone against us. We know Zaryanova has left Oasis. They are not a monolithic block. I think - I _choose_ to think - there is hope."

"Reinhardt?"

"I... I do not know. I truly do not. I do not understand what they have become, and I do not any longer pretend to understand how they think. That is what makes me afraid." He sighed, looking down at the table, deep in thought. "The worst thing I can imagine is having to lead a force against my own squire's girlfriend. I think I am" - he shook his head - "I think I am too involved to have a good idea."

"Brigitte?"

"You're asking _me?_ "

"You're closest to any of them."

"Hana isn't... she..."

The mechanic slumped. Hana had been in Russia, after all. "...she's... she is. But... she doesn't want another war. So I don't think they're lying. I don't think any of them do. I don't think they need to _bother_ lying."

"Torbjörn?"

"C'mon, Jack. You know as well as I do - unless they give up that AI, it's going to be a fight one way or the other. And they're not going to, and that's all there is to it."

"McCree?"

"I think we ought to be headin' in with a Russian strike force right now," he said, having budged not an inch. "It's what's gonna be happenin' sooner or later anyway."

"Are you sure of that, Jesse?" Reinhardt asked. "How can you know?"

"It's what I'd do," the cowboy said, as leaned back in his chair, "And I'd bet good money it's what'll happen sooner or later."

He put his boots up on the desk in front of him.

"S'far as I'm concerned, might as well do it and get 'er done."

\-----

"That was a tremendous waste of firepower, and of good pilots," General Beriev grumbled.

"If there is anything we have in excess at the moment," General Koshkinova replied, "it is soldiers. Oasis is small, and we are still geared for full-scale war."

"I know that, and I don't care. It is still a waste."

"It has kept them from having time to assassinate anyone else."

"Meaning you?"

"Perhaps. But not only me."

"We could settle this. The EMP was perfectly on target and the AI has to be a dead hulk. This entire crisis is over a useless hunk of scrap metal, there’s no…”

The general shut his mouth quickly as President Volskaya walked into the war room, flanked by her most trusted aides, Kamaria a few footsteps behind them. 

"I have, finally, a piece of good news,” Katya stated after the formalities had been dispensed with, and the staff officers seated around the long table. General Gobyato?"

The square faced general stood, smoothing his moustache with a finger before he spoke. "Our special forces units have all reported successful deployment," he reported with a confident smile. "They are approaching the Iraqi border along two fronts in full stealth. As yet, we believe they are completely undetected."

He pointed at a display, a series of lights indicating landing points and subsequent movement in Iran and Turkey, all funneling towards the Iraqi border before making their way down to the border of the mini-state.

"We believe the remaining components of the omnium are being housed here,” Gobyato continued as the map zoomed into a district of the city, buildings outlined and highlighted in gold. “Satellite recon taken before the operation in Siberia indicated the construction of a facility just outside of Oasis, here, to contain the AI core.”

The map zoomed out again, and the icons representing their _spetznaz_ teams began to collect into distinct groups at different points around the border. “It will take a few days for the teams to make their way into Oasis territory, at which point they will launch simultaneous strikes on the city, posing as a terrorist group -"

"Talon, to be specific," Katya said, smirking. "These things are always best done with a touch of humour."

Gobyato nodded as the targets for their strikes turned red. "And once their security forces have been engaged, the _bogatyrs_ will assault the containment facility, and destroy any components of the omnium core that survived our initial strike.”

"In three days," Katya pronounced with eyes full of certainty, "Oasis will lose their prize."

\-----

"Our motion was passed _first_ ," the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations insisted. "As a permanent member of the security council, we _demand_ regular order!"

"The motion has already been heard, and carried," the President of the Security Council repeated. "The question of procedure motion has already been heard, and confirmed, and cannot be appealed. Please, ambassador, return to your seat."

Ambassador Sarvepalli Mukherjee frowned, and glared. "It is a matter of record that India accepts this vote order under protest."

The Atlas News Network reporter in the gallery - one of many representatives of the press - looked again for the Russian foreign minister. _Just not coming_ , she thought. _They aren't boycotting the vote, so... why not?_

"That will be entered into the record, ambassador. Madame Secretary General?"

The Secretary General of the United Nations stood, annoyance visible on her face, the results preordained. Russia would veto the motion against them, India would veto the motion against Oasis. _Such foolish posturing_ , she thought. _It is pointless._ But she knew her job, and would do it.

"The motion by Russia to condemn the actions of Oasis regarding the omnium and actions against Russian sovereign actors, and order an immediate surrender of all omnium material for destruction will move forward for immediate full vote of the Council. As is practice, voting will proceed in alphabetical order."

"Belarus."

"Belarus votes for the motion."

"Brazil."

"Brazil votes for the motion."

"Benin."

"Benin votes against the motion."

_As expected_ , thought the ANN reporter. _They'll vote no on both._

"Cambodia."

"Cambodia votes against the motion."

_Wait, what? Not even an abstain - a flat out no? What happened there?_

"China."

"China abstains."

_A 'no' vote without a veto_ , the reporter thought. _Going to let India do it, then._

"Finland."

"Finland votes against the motion."

"France."

"France abstains."

_Another security council no without veto?!_ The reporter's mind raced. _Vladivostok? Is that why? They didn't do themselves any favours with that business at the university..._

"Gabonese Republic."

"The Gabonese Republic votes against the motion."

"Great Britain"

"Great Britain votes for the motion."

"India."

"India holds its vote pending the actions of other members."

The room murmured, expecting a veto, and not getting one. The General Secretary blinked, surprised. "That is... highly irregular."

"Perhaps. But it is legal under the rules."

_What is he thinking?_ thought the reporter, as the General Secretary replied, curtly, "I assure the ambassador that I am familiar with the rules of order."

"Then please, continue the vote."

"Yes, Mr. Ambassador. Kenya."

"Kenya votes for the motion."

_That's four. They need to do better than this._

"Republic of Korea"

"The Republic of Korea votes against the motion."

_Heh. No surprise there._

"Russia."

"Russia votes for the motion."

_Five_ , the reporter thought. _What the hell._ She looked at the remaining names. _...I don't think they're going to make this._

"Myanmar."

"Myanmar votes for the motion."

_Six._

"Namibia"

"Namibia votes against the motion."

A long, louder murmur through the room. The Russian ambassador registered a moment of surprise, and frowned.

_A year ago, they'd have voted for. That's... a huge swing. South Africa at work here, I think._ The reporter began composing the story inside her head. _Russia's mishandled this. India knew something they didn't. Oh my god, India doesn't need to veto, that's what the ambassador was thinking. Russia's **just going to lose**._

"Somalia."

"Somalia votes for the motion."

_That's seven. The US will vote for. But..._

"Suriname."

"Suriname votes against the motion."

"Tunisia."

"Tunisia votes against the motion."

_That's it_ , the reporter thought. _That's it. Holy... I..._

"United States."

"The United States votes for the motion."

"India."

"India," the ambassador paused for dramatic effect, "...abstains."

The General Secretary took a long breath. "The final tally is eight votes for, eight against, and three abstentions. Having failed to attain the necessary votes... the motion is defeated."

The reporter typed furiously, building the script for her live report, composing the longer version of the story, as Russia exercised its veto power against the Republic of Korea's motion against their actions, in turn.

_The Russian ambassador's... displeased,_ she thought, watching faces carefully, _but not perturbed._

She stopped typing.

_They don't actually care about this vote, do they. India just pulled a major diplomatic coup, and they don't care. Why not?_

Five minutes later, the first explosions shook the ground outside Oasis.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the fifteenth instalment of _Of Gods and Monsters: The Arc of Conflict_. To follow the story, [subscribe to the series via this link](https://archiveofourown.org/series/972024), rather than to the individual works.


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